The present invention relates to a low-temperature showcase including a showroom having wall surfaces constituted of transparent walls.
Heretofore, in this type of low-temperature showcase, commodities such as beverages and foods are stored in a showroom, and cold air is circulated through the showroom to lower a temperature thereof. In consequence, the commodities are displayed while cooled. In this case, a front surface (a door surface) of the showroom, three surfaces including the front surface and left and right surfaces or four surrounding surfaces are constituted of transparent walls of transparent glass or the like, so that the commodities can visually be recognized from the outside to improve a sales effect.
Since the showroom of the low-temperature showcase is at a low temperature in this manner, humidity of outside air is condensed to dew on outer surfaces of the transparent walls owing to a temperature difference between the low-temperature showroom and the outside air. When such dew condensation occurs, the transparent walls collect moisture, and visibility of the showroom deteriorates. To solve the problem, heretofore an electric heater or the like has been attached to eliminate this moisture. However, when the electric heater is used, power consumption inconveniently increases. Accordingly, the showcase has been contrived so as to blow air (warm air) warmed by a compressor and a condenser installed in a mechanical chamber to the outer surface (the front surface) of the glass door (the transparent wall), thereby eliminating the dew condensation (e.g., see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-88438).
In addition, in a case where the outside air has a very humid state, even when the warm air is blown from the mechanical chamber to the outer surface of the glass door (the transparent wall), the dew condensation unavoidably occurs on the outer surface of the transparent wall. In such a case, as described in the above patent document, a dew receiving portion is disposed under the door, and the air is blown from the mechanical chamber to the outer surface of the door via an externally disposed blow-off port. In consequence, dew condensation water which flows down along the door flows into the dew receiving portion disposed under the door.
However, the showcase is constituted so that the dew condensation water is drawn from the outer surface (the front surface) of the door to a lower surface of the door owing to surface tension to drip down the water to the dew receiving portion. Therefore, when an amount of the dew condensation water increases, the water unavoidably drips down to the externally disposed blow-off port to wet a portion around the blow-off port. In the worst case, there has been a problem that the blow-off port is sealed with the water.